The Last Time
by fineh
Summary: In which a chapter closes. Riarkle. Lucaya if you squint. Also posted to Tumblr.
1. In Which A Chapter Closes

_Just an upload from a drabble I posted on Tumblr._

* * *

He tells anyone who will listen that he has loved her since the first grade. Everyone, including her.

" _I love you Riley."_

It goes from a meaningless sentence to a feeling so profound he can't remember his life before her. But every time he says it and she doesn't say it back kills a tiny piece of him. He has hope that one day she will say it back and that day will be the best day of his life.

At least that's what he's used to think.

It's the end of the day and he's taking some books he needs for his homework out of his locker.

He hears them before he sees them, their voices loud and echoing in the empty halls. Finally Riley and Maya appear around the corner, where their own lockers are.

He barely gets a hello in before Riley starts gushing about the guy she's been in love with since the seventh grade.

Lucas.

They're official, and apparently they're going to last because high school relationships last longer than middle school relationships. Or so she says.

" _He's the one Farkle, he's the one I'm going to spend the rest of my life with."_

He glances over her shoulder at Maya and he's pretty sure they both look the same, sucker punched. It seems as though this is news to Maya as well. She gives him a sad smile before she turns on her heel making a beeline for the exit. She doesn't sling her bag over her shoulder because well, she's Maya and she still doesn't have one.

He focuses once again on Riley and how the light is hitting her perfectly causing her brown eyes to sparkle, they glitter even brighter every time she talks about Lucas.

She's finally out of breath and it's his turn to speak.

He steps forward pulling her into a hug.

" _I love you Riley and I want you to be happy."_

" _I know._

They stand there in the middle of the empty hallway holding onto each other.

Surprisingly, she's the one who speaks first.

" _Promise me things will never change between us."_

" _Riles…"_

She pulls back tilting her head up to look at him, something she's not used to yet even though they're sophomores and he's been taller than her since the eighth grade.

" _No Farkle, promise me."_

" _I can't Riley. Things already have changed, you've just been too caught up in Lucas to notice."_

" _That's not true."_

" _Yes, it is."_

He hugs her again, this time tighter.

" _I love you Riley."_

Farkle Minkus has loved Riley Matthews since the first grade and he'll tell anyone who will listen. But at that moment, as he walks away, he's finally said it for the last time.


	2. In Which She Comes To A Realization

_I continued this a while ago, and it's finished so you won't have to wait long for the last part._

* * *

She sees his lips form the three words she's been dying to hear since she fell into his lap on the subway.

" _I love you."_

Yet as the words finally register she feels nothing. She doesn't feel the flutter in her stomach, she doesn't feel the usual thin sheet of sweat that usually coats her hands when she hears those words from the mouth of another. Words that she hasn't heard since they became official. Riley shakes her head at the irony, her eyes drift to the dimly lit corner where she can clearly see her two best friends having a grand time completely oblivious to her and Lucas.

" _Riley?"_ Right, she has to say something. To tell him something, to finally put them both out of their misery. She takes a deep breath preparing herself to say the words that will end them once and for all.

" _I don't love you. Not like that. I love you as a friend. I thought I could learn to love you. But Lucas, let's be honest. We're not in love, you're not in love with me."_

She waits for him to blow up, she waits for his rage, for him to deny it, to fight for her, for them. But he doesn't, he just hangs his head. He knows she's right.

She peeks over his shoulder again, Lucas follows her gaze, his green eyes widening in understanding. " _You're in love with him."_ It's not an accusation, just an observation.

Farkle looks happy and in love. They watch as Maya steals one of his fries booping his nose playfully. Riley scoffs inwardly, she could do boop like Maya has never seen. Her heart twists when Farkle swats her arm playfully, leaning in to whisper something that has Maya descending into a fit of giggles, Farkle right along with her.

She wonders at what point she became the outsider. When did they transition into something more, and how had she missed that. Except—she hadn't. She'd been extremely aware of when things had shifted. When instead of waiting for Riley at her locker Maya began showing up with Farkle, their arms always intertwined, mirroring her and Lucas. Riley longed to go back to the days when it was only the three of them. When Farkle's promise to always love them all equally had still stood. Maybe that's what Farkle had been trying to tell her that day. Maybe that's why Maya had disappeared. He no longer loved them the same. She'd chosen Lucas and he'd chosen Maya.

 _Game on Matthews._

Maya won. Riley lost.

" _Yeah, I'm in love with him."_ But he wasn't in love with her. Not anymore.

 _"If I had known I would have never had asked you."_

She gives him a watery smile.

 _"If I had known I would have never said yes."_

Keeping up their tradition Lucas gets up offering her his arm, _"I'll walk you home."_

She casts a final glance at the two people she loves most in the world before taking his arm. Riley leaves, her heart no longer with her.


	3. In Which They Come Full Circle

_Here is the third and final part!_

* * *

 _"Have you always known?"_ Maya ignores the fluttering in her stomach, pretends she doesn't like the way he smells, or the tender way he's looking at his ex and his best friend even though he should be mad. Even though he should have Farkle up against the locker for even daring to lay a hand on his precious Riley. But instead he's standing next to her as they both watch their friends do the things cute high school couples do.

 _"Since the first grade when he saved her life. From that moment I knew they would always be together."_ The geeky little kid hadn't hesitated to step in and save the girl. After that, at least in her opinion, a white horse paled in comparison.

 _"Is that why you never liked me?"_ She thinks it over, smiling when she sees Riley boop Farkle's nose. Lord knows how long she'd practiced to get it right.

 _"I like you just fine."_ Riley casts her a glance, her smile widening when she sees Maya watching them. Lucas standing right next to her. Raising her hand Maya waves at her before walking away, Lucas hot on her heels. They've been spending more and more time together, something that Maya did not appreciate. Now that Lucas was a free agent she was at a loss.

She had Riley's blessing, that wasn't an issue. A long conversation at the bay window had cleared up that Maya and Farkle were NOT an item. Maya attributed their time spent together to two broken hearts looking for a way to heal. She'd said as much, giving Riley a clear opening to bug her about who had broken her heart. Riley had immediately felt guilty, even after Maya's reassurance that it was okay. That she was fine. That she was over him. Riley still kept trying to shove them together. Now that she was blissfully happy with Farkle she wanted the same for Maya.

Maya understood where she was coming from but honestly, she just wanted to be done with it. She had seen the way Riley and Farkle had tiptoed around each other for a while, both of them afraid to _move._ A set of fake notes, the master keys she'd borrowed—stolen—from janitor Harley, an empty classroom, and the threat of leaving them there all weekend had solved that problem rather quickly.

And if that had happened to two people who were obviously destined to be together who knew what would happen with her.

So she just had to get rid of Mr. Soaring Eagle and she'd be fine.

Lucas caught up easily to her, his long strides irritating her. Lucas grabbed her elbow forcing her to stop.

 _"You won't even look at me."_

His touch sent a shiver down Maya's spine. Slowly she lifted her eyes to meet his. He was staring at her, an astonished look on his face. His eyes reflecting a new awareness that hadn't been there before. Or maybe it had, and he'd just never allowed it to show.

 _"Let go,"_ she demands. Instantly he releases her, stumbling backwards in surprise. Her gait determined, she purposely walks away from Lucas and everything that she's feeling because hope is for suckers. And she refuses to have any.

Neither of them notice their two friends in the background. Riley and Farkle stand watching, their hands intertwined.

 _"Were we ever as bad as them?"_ Riley wonders as she watches her best friend storm off.

Farkle smiles lovingly at her, _"I think we were worse."_

 _"Should we help them?"_ Farkle ponders the question and his hopeless friends.

 _"No."_ He decides, as Lucas finally regains his bearings and heads to home room. _"Everything will fall into place soon enough."_

 _"Can we still lock them in a classroom?"_ Riley asks hopefully. She still hasn't completely forgiven Maya for that.

Part of Farkle wants to agree with her. The part that is thankful that Maya decided enough was enough and essentially brought Farkle and Riley together in a moment when he had given up hope that she would ever be his. But the other part—the part that wonders how things would had played out if Maya hadn't forced them to confess—knows better than to push things.

Patience was virtue and hopefully Lucas had a lot of it.

 _"Sorry to disappoint you darling but no."_ He kisses the pout off her face, whispering, _"I love you."_

And even though there's chatter and lockers being slammed all around them Riley still hears him loud and clear.

" _And I love you."_

Arm in arm they walk down the hallway where Farkle had thought things had ended forever. Only this time with the knowledge that somehow they would make it.


End file.
